Toni the Maldive Lady
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GAN, GLORIOUS GAN
My very first time


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My very good friend Mr Saeed, in my very early days in the islands said he would like to take me to GAN in Seenu Atoll. His home island.
This was right at the very bottom of the chain of the Maldive Islands, 296 miles from Male the Capital.

The British Royal Air Force had a base on Gan from 1956 until 1976 and the Royal Navy had built an airstrip. Whilst traveling round the islands I had met many Maldive people who had been based on Gan during this time. They all just loved talking to me of the time they worked for the British and all seemed to have loved it... Adanan, Haleel, Habeeb, Zaki, to name just a few...

It was with much anticipation and excitement that Saeed and I took off with the whole plane to our self. Utterly spell bound, as this incredible chain of Atolls and islands passed beneath us. Quite unique.
Just before landing at Gan we had crossed the equator having just flown over a large island called Fuah Mulak. Saeed seemed to have the only car in Gan, very ancient! Some of the doors would not open. I had to climb across the drivers seat just to get to my seat. The two back doors were stuck. A short run to the old Sergeants mess. This was later on to become Gan Holiday Village.

I noticed at once the profusion of  roses, frangipani and hibiscus. The British 'green finger touch'. Tall coconut palms and banana trees, Saeed told me that the White Tern only lived down there but loads of fruit bats.
To meet me were all the island Chiefs and friends of Saeed. I was given a wonderful smelling frangipani necklace. So friendly and welcoming. The tour of the building was interesting to say the least!  I quite expected British Corporals or Sergeants to pop out of the wood work!
Annigoni's painting of the Queen on the wall, old piano, bar, chairs, mess, the kitchen with old equipment just as it was.. ghostly..
A delicious fish curry lunch using all the old pots, cutlery and table. Then a a six mile drive to Feydhoo, Maradhoo, Hithadhoo. These in which the British had joined up with causeways..

In no time it was back to base and very sad sad farewells, all the chiefs said Please stay Please stay!  I promised to return and have been to Gan 5 times since, just love it, will tell you why later! 

A sad final up date. About 12 years back I was in Gan, a real sentimental journey. I had heard that Saeed was very ill. A car was arranged for me and I found his house on Hithadhoo. Large but horribly run down. I walked to the house. He must have seen me coming as he opened up. Many many years had passed. He knew me! We hugged. Not a word was said. So frail and thin. I saw no one there. He turned away, I hurried to the car and cried. Later having learnt he died soon after my visit.
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THE ROYAL AIR FORCE - GAN


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Gan 200th Edition
200th Edition. January 21st 1967. Editor - RT LT D.S.Brown Illustrations by CPL G.H.Pritt
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There was only one woman on Gan
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Feydhoo gAN


Another visit to Gan to see the Library of books I had shipped out from the UK. It was up and running.
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At one classroom the children were reading my books. I asked the girls "who is the best reader?"  Every hand went up! I then asked the boys. Again every boys hands went up! In the end they all took it in turns to read to me.
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I had brought out a puppet as a communal gift, so taught some of the children how it worked. A great success!
By this time Gan Holiday Village was renamed Equator, and all the old bits and bobs had been replaced by spanking new objects.  A lovely freshwater swimming pool, tennis court, dive school, barrack rooms with air conditioning, showers and patios. And Bicycles. The joy of cycling round the Airport  where at the end  large waves are breaking onto the reef. Coming round the other side biking through forest paths to the old golf course covered in weeds. Small shops, tea rooms with Maldivian small eats. Relics of the British age. Cinema, squash court, transit hostel, post office and in a Hangar a garment factory manned by Sri Lankan women who live in the old Barracks.
Wonderful friendly locals a real chance to be with the REAL Maldives.

Very different from the rest of the Maldives, but very special.

The Maldive Islands


Ariyadhoo, Himithi, Mini Mas,
Gali & Maamigili
Fuah Mulaku

GAAFU ALIFU ATOLL SCHOOL
Gan and Feydhoo
Hanimadhoo & Uteemu
Ihuru
Kuramathi
Kurumba
Laamu  Atoll
Lhaviyani
Niyama - Dhaalu Atoll
Rashdoo & Noonu Atoll
Villingili

Holiday Of A Life Time:
Maldives, Sri Lanka & Dubai

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SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION - LETTER FROM BENEDICTA

MY ISLAND STORY

On My Way To Happy Days

Passenger Flying Log Book

My Very Good Looking Father

Through a Zanzibar Doorway

Lion Sands

Cape Town

A Night At The London Zoo

Wild Reef Child

Ashley

Flying With Hunting Clan

Love At First Sight

The Queen Mother

Romy Has a Surprise!

GEORGE

My Talk 2018

My Flying Diary

The Maldive Lady, by Jo Foley

LiveWire: First Lady of Leisure

Kunfunadhoo

The Lady In The Loo

First Round The World Flight

Tehran

PHINDA

Rat Story

Visha & Maya

Saint Helena

A Flight of a Lifetime

Diving Bangaram Island
Shark Circus
Richard Harley
Yusuff Moosa

I Dived To Victory
Memorable Muscat
You Must Not Wear Any Weights Or Life Jacket


A Magic Boat Launches

Angkor, Cambodia

Champneys

Country Life

Crown of Thorns

Having A Whale Of A Time

​Hurlingham Club Magazine Summer 2016

Kenya

​KASHMIR 1959

Lady Rose

Love of Skiing

My Magic Beans

My Outstanding Award
My Sandbank
Museum of Mankind
My 86th Birthday
Classic Wings: My 87th Birthday
My 88th Birthday
Magic Yellow File
RACEHORSE
Seychelles
South Africa
The Haute Route
Thrills & Spills - Dhoni Mighili
Underwater Ireland
Welcome To Stanford Bridge
***WEST OF ZANZIBAR***

Helicopter Bride
SCHOOL / FLYING
World Travel Mart
My Adopted Maldivian Family
Life Threatening Thalassemia
Himmafushi - The Young Offenders
Villingilli Orphanage
The Tsunami
Commemorative Coins

1986 Commonwealth Games
Guest Speaker of the Canberra
My Cocktail
Love & Marriage in Sri Lanka


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Flags
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A Maldives Symphony -
My Swan Song:

- Velassaru & Kuramathi
-
Colombo

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